OF A DIARRHCEA.
285
drink large quantities of diluting liquors, with oil orfat broths, to promote vomiting and purging; after-wards, if there be reason to suspect that the bowels beinflamed, bleeding will be necessary; small doses oflaudanum may likewise be taken to remove theirirritation.
When the gout, repelled from the extremities, oc-casions a looseness, it ought to be repelled by gentledoses of rhubarb, or other mild purgatives; the goutymatter is likewise to be solicited towards the extremi-ties by warm fomentations, cataplasms, &c.; the per-spiration ought at the same time to be promoted bywarm diluting liquors, as wine-whey, with spirits ofhartshorn, or a few drops of liquid laudanum in it.
When a looseness proceeds from worms, which maybe known by the sliminess of the stools, mixed withpieces of decayed worms, &c. medicines may be givento kill and carry off these vermin, as the powder of tin,with purges of rhubarb and calomel; afterwards lime-water, either alone, or with a small quantity of rhu-barb infused, will be proper to strengthen the bowels,and prevent the new generation of worms.
A looseness is often occasioned by drinking badwater; when this is the case, the disease generallyproves epidemical. When there is reas m to believethat this or any other disease proceeds from the useof unwholesome water, it ought immediately to bechanged, or if that cannot be done, it may be cor-rected, by mixing with it quicklime, chalk, or the like.
In people whose stomachs are weak, violent exer-cise immediately after eating will cause a looseness.Though the cure of this is obvious, yet it will be pro-per, besides avoiding violent exercise, to use such me-dicines as tend to brace and strengthen the stomach,as infusions of the bark, with other bitter and astrin-gent ingredients, in white wine. Such persons oughtlikewise to take frequently a glass or two of old redport, or good claret.
From whatever cause a looseness proceeds, when itis found necessary to check it, the diet ought to con-sist of rice boiled with milk, and flavoured with cin-